Plan a Sabbatical, Not a Vacation

I love the word Sabbatical. It's better than the word vacation. 
Sabbatical implies reflection, intention, and a break from everything. 
It makes you feel like you have permission to unplug, unwind, and remove 
yourself from the daily grind. I used to say that I didn’t go on vacation, 
I just parented in a different location. Now I wish I had said, my family is taking a sabbatical---a sacred time for us to be together with no interruptions.

--Rev. Becca Stephens

Peace, joy, happiness and a feeling of being well-loved and loving well were my hopes for our first family vacation as a blended family.  I had been watching the stress of everyday life take a toll on our family and I wanted to provide a place where we could let go of the stress and play. 

In this day and age of a need to constantly be entertained and run at full speed I thought it would make it hard for a week of just being on the beach. God gave us important wisdom in telling us to be still.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

We all settled into a rhythm of play and rest. We were loving and respectful to each other. We were able to let down our hair so to speak and just be. What a wonderful gift this week was for all of us. During the week, God was showing me how he is answering my prayers for my family. I might have missed this if I had not taken the time to listen.

God asks us to spend time getting to know him and getting to know ourselves. This is impossible if we do not take time out to listen and to just be.

We’re becoming a nation of quickaholics—people compulsively

seeking out quick and easy

ways to live & solve problems,

avoiding what is deep, difficult, and therefore growth producing.

--When the Heart Waits, Sue Monk Kidd (3)

The past few years have been a difficult time for our family but we are choosing to not seek the quick and easy way to live and solve our problems but are spending time living the deep and difficult journey. This week allowed me time to see the ways we are all growing from the deep and difficult work of getting to know ourselves and God.

Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.” But how in a culture of now?

In a world of “doing” how do you make time for just “being”?

Plan a sabbatical, not a vacation, that will give you time to reflect and take a break from the crazy, busy world. Our family time together was worth every cent, every worry and every moment of planning spent to make it happen. God was showing me that he is in control. Once I let go of trying to control the week he took over and made it perfect!

As God says, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21.