Journeys 7-30-06:
As of this writing (Thursday, July 27), there are 21 days until school starts in the Beatrice Public School System. Ten days until Band Camp. Four days until Limited, (High School Swing Choir) choreography camp. According to Huskerpedia.com, there are 37 days, 3 hours, 57 minutes, 56 seconds until the kick-off for the first Nebraska Cornhusker Football game.
These are the most vacationed two weeks of the year. For families with kids, this is it. If you’re going to get gone, its now or fall break. Last week’s Gospel lesson told of Jesus’ training up his disciples. He sent them out two by two. When they came back all excited to tell the news of their experiences of healing and ministry Jesus herded them off to, “a quiet, deserted place” to be alone and recoup. The sermon message was to follow Jesus’ example and pace of ministry and retreat, service and prayer. No one goes at it all the time, not even Jesus. Weekly worship is a kind of retreat to refill our cup before heading back out that door for another 7 days of ministry; following Jesus in our homes and jobs. Daily prayer and meditation at the beginning or ending of the day is a micro-retreat to frame your day and reflect on God’s part in it.
The family vacation is a way to disengage from the normal routine and re-invest in each other. With cell phones, text messaging, and wireless internet, its becoming harder and harder to unplug. But there’s something about just getting out of town that drops the diaphragm, lowers the bodies’ barometric pressure and lets a big sigh of relief out of your mouth the instant you pass out of the city limits. When on vacation, you have to sit around the same table to eat that fast food. You have to talk to each other even if its, “Pass the ketchup.” You’re following Jesus’ pace and pattern; ministry and retreat, service and prayer.
May God grant each of us some kind of retreat before the fall schedule attacks and consumes our calendars.
Grace & Peace,
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