Well, here I am not there. Disconnected, yet connected.
Time away? Away from what? Vacation. What is a vacation?
A Break. Retreat. Holiday. Escape. Trip. Rest. ??? This time away is or isn’t:
Okay, 1st a break, maybe to some degree. A break from the everyday routines, so in that sense we are taking a break. Retreat, oh no, so far everything has gone well but this is not a retreat, I have been on many retreats this is not and wasn’t intended to be, so no. A holiday, implies a celebration of something and we are not celebrating - other than the fact Robin applied for graduation next spring. That’s cool. (Oh ya – and Janet’s Birthday – she thinks that’s a holiday!) The term Holiday, in relation to vacation, is used generally by folks outside the USA. Holiday for me is CHRISTmas, Easter etc….
Next, Escape? There is nothing I am trying to escape from. I love what I do and where I do it and who we do it with. God has truly
blessed me in my daily endeavors. I get the best of several arenas of vocation. Escape to me implies there is something bad or miserable you need to get away from. This time away is definitely not an escape for me. And besides life goes on while you are away.
How about trip? When I investigate the word Trip, I get several more concepts for my time away. Journey. Excursion. Outing. My whole life is a journey, as Paul writes heaven is my home we are just passing thru. (paraphrased, a lot) Excursion and outing generally seems more local to me. We will have several excursions while taking a break….
Back to my original list, rest. Don’t get me wrong but this break from my everyday routine, this trip, will be anything but restful. A needed break, a desired excursion, yet for me, getting ready to get away for rest is stressful and tiring. First, making the travel arrangements. You got get to do all the laundry so you have clean undies on your trip, then mow the grass, do the dishes and throw away all the pizza deliver boxes (because your wife left a week earlier and you wanted to try the Upland Pizza company’s Hawaiian pizza with pulled pork because no one else in the house thinks pineapple should be on pizza… ok it was only one pizza box but the bacon mac-n-cheese and the big cookie had boxes as well.)
Oh, and also line up someone to feed the cats, who were upset when Janet got her suitcases out and were sort of ok when they realized I wasn’t going, yet. But oh my, the looks I got when I got my suitcase came out. Who is going to feed us and clean our litter boxes? Again we are truly blessed we had several people offer to feed the cats, oh then there is the fish. One beta bowl which doubles as the cats water dish, which used to freak the beta out but now he teases one of the cats.
Oh sorry, squirrel….also the fish in the big aquarium and the little pond out in Robin’s Nest, the garden railroad. S o Many creatures. We finally had to accept bids for people to pay us to do all the wonderful chores. Oh, Janet says nobody will pay us to clean the litter boxes, and that we need to pay them. It’s sort of like when you tell people you’re moving they say their busy that weekend and you haven’t said which weekend. But seriously we are blessed with lots of friends wanting to help us get away. Hey, wait a minute, does that mean they want time away from us???
Then not to mention the wilderness of plant life that blesses our outdoors, what a wonderful sanctuary but it takes time to curate all the blessings. Then to think about the laundry and the lawn when we get back… Oh, I try and not think of all that it too tiring. Also, in New York you walk everywhere, and a lot. Again don’t take this the wrong way, but there was a ‘daddy do’ list waiting for me upon arrival. (Robin loves me and wants me to stay busy) I love doing tasks, fixing things is relaxing for me. Those of you that know me well, know that I do not sit and relax well. Even on vacation or time away, I like to do things. By the way, half of the list is done and I hear rumors they are working ‘daddy do 2.0 list
Anyway it is good to get away, take a break, escape on holiday and rest on our trip. Know that we are enjoying ourselves, getting exercise and relaxing. We are also trying not to worry about things back home as we know all the blessings are in great hands and the great hands are the true blessings. Love and miss you all…..
Come by, either our physical site (5080 Kingsley, Montclair, Ca,) Sundays @ 9am outdoors until further notice or visit us at www.tlcmontclair.org any time and get filled up on God’s hope! You can also ask for pray or if you are able help us with an offering / donation to continue spreading the good news, the hope that Jesus Christ gives to all.
Trinity, your hope Filling Station
Comments