Vacation

This is vacation time for families with School for the summer and the temperature hasn’t gotten too hot. We may travel to see family, go to a family cabin, or just set out on an adventure we have always dreamed about. I know someone that created a realistic bucket list for the year. There were places and activities that they would be near and so the idea was to keep pushing forward and experiencing all they could see and do. It makes activities throughout the year more intentional, and it allows the greatest opportunity to succeed in doing them all. In the midst of all the plans, we must continue to think about our time with God. During travel, we might be able to find Christian stations on the radio or take some digital or even a CD with to keep God in the midst of it all. If possible, have a devotion book or the Bible with and make intentional time to read it. Like the bucket list I spoke of, if we don’t specifically plan it, it will likely not happen. Sunday mornings are particularly important, even if you are a visitor in an unfamiliar church. Check what the church stands for and what its basic beliefs are. Double check the time of worship (maybe even call ahead) because many churches go to a summer schedule with few services and changed times. If you are with family, you especially need to set a good example. Let them see how important that time with God is. Faith is not a on again off again proposition. It is a daily walk with God. The point is, summer doesn’t change our need for God’s leading. If anything, we should have more time to spend with God personally and professionally. Maybe if your church records the service, you can all sit around the computer screen or TV to participate with them. When it comes to living out our faith this summer, let us look for opportunities to encourage others. It might be worth spending a little extra time looking for the places of worship in the towns you will be in so that you have a great experience. I’ve said it before...thank goodness God doesn’t take vacations. We sometimes are guilty of falling into a rut and finding a new church on vacation seems too hard. No one will know if you don’t go, right? Understand, God, who we claim to worship knows it. Father, even on vacation my heart longs for that Christian community. Help us make our time with You a priority. Amen