Starting, July 13th, I will be “disconnecting” for some Sabbath time with my family. As most of us do, I’ve been looking forward to some time away. We have some fun activities planned for the family including during the week of July 20th - 24th, Stephanie and I will be spending a week at the Selah Inn, a bed and breakfast in East Texas that is a part of the Pastors Retreat Network, a non-profit organization that provides free retreats for pastors and their spouses to relax and recharge.
The last week I’m away, I will be doing a study leave which will involve fleshing out the details for the 20 or so messages I will be sharing during the remainder of 2009. It’s a work week to be sure, but it’s also a really energizing time as I get to take a broader look at the next few months and prayerfully pl an what’s coming up.
While away, we also will be attending worship at several United Methodist churches in Texas who I hope to glean some things from.
As I’ve shared in the past, I’m not always the best at “disconnecting” from work. I love my job. I realize that not everyone does, so the fact that I have a hard time letting go because of the passion I have for what I get to do with my life is a good thing. On the other hand, I am like everyone else. I need a break sometime, and it’s a healthy thing for me to let go for a few weeks. So, with that in mind, I’ll be doing a few things in the coming weeks to mentally step away.
- I’ll be setting an away message on my email and do my very best to check it as little as possible. [While attending the Pastor's Retreat Network, I'm not allowed to have my cell phone or laptop. This has me a little nervous!]
- I’ll be spending a good amount of time reading some books I’ve set aside. Reading always calms and clears my mind.
- I’m hoping to play a few rounds of golf with my wife. I haven’t yet talked her into swinging the clubs herself, but she loves coming out with me and driving the cart.
- Finally, I’ll be taking a break from blogging as well. Last week, I was brainstorming a list of posts I was going to write this week and schedule to post for the week I’m at the Selah Inn. This morning, while spending some time in prayer, God reminded me that it’s OK to take a break from this as well. You’ll probably get some picture posts here, but not much else in the coming weeks. Please forgive me.
As always, I covet your prayers in the coming weeks, and look forward to returning refreshed and recharged for the road that lies ahead.
Grace and Peace,
David
