Pre-Vacation Chaos
Just 10 days away from vacation and the pre-vacation scramble is well underway. Not only am I working on this Sunday's (July 23) service and sermon, but also on (July 30th Congregational Hymn Sing) and August 6th (the Sunday upon my return). Ughhhhhh...At least I only have the Prayers of the People to write for July 30th, having already done the Call to Worship and the rest of the liturgy. I have also already written the Communion Liturgy for Aug. 6th. This has been going on since last week.
I have a retreat planning meeting to call together before I leave as well.
On the home front, I am slowly doing laundry of items I need to pack, but some of which I will be wearing in the meantime. LH will want to me to make sure I pack the maps, and all sorts of little things, that don't fit in his dop kit.
The dogs will need to be boarded and since the van is mine, I get the honors of dropping the dogs off at the Doggie Spa (actually a groomer who has a farm). I keep telling The Boys that they are going to the Doggie Spa so they feel better about being boarded. Nevertheless, they are none too happy when they get to the front door of the kennel. They'll survive. It's also my joy to go pick them up again when we return home. They'll be all freshly bathed and groomed, although with greyhounds there isn't that much to groom, aside from clipping their nails and a good brushing. Jett has been shedding so much lately (of course it's been in the 90's the last couple days) that I believe he grows hair overnight only to shed it the next day!!!
Then I still have to get a couple bottles of wine to bring my sister.
It's been a year with no Sunday off since our last vacation. I am so ready to get away and not grind out one more sermon. I am feeling the need to simply relax and see my family.
The sacrifice of ministry for me is time lost with family. We live too far away to just spend an hour to visit. We never have full long weekends to spend with family. Our holidays are working holidays and we can't get away then either. So that leaves us with a once a year trip to Chicago and WI. The only family I have left is my sister. There are times it would be wonderful to see each other more than once or twice a year. Talking on the phone every week is ok, but it's just not the same as being together and doing things together. It never seemed to bother me too much, until the death of my parents. Time does go by rather swiftly and the time I have to spend with my family is far too limited. How nice would it be to have a Friday evening bar-b-que and have them over? Or for them to have us over Sunday evening? Just isn't possible.
Since we don't have children, I don't know how it is for the rest of you, with time spent with your children and family. Let me know, do you spend the time you'd like to with your family?
We preach on family life, responsibilities and spending time with your kids, but what about ourselves and our families?
Of Course, there are those who are probably thankful not to have more time to spend with family. I, for one, am not in that group.
Oh well, it's back to the pre-vacation chaos of finishing liturgy and 2 sermons to write!!!!!!
It will all be done in time and there will be grace of letting go for at least a little while.