Downtime

I am on vacation, WooHoo! Well, not exaclty yet, but close. Officially, I will be on vacation Monday through Friday of next week. There is so much going on with the house, and with church, it seems like an odd time, but I really need it NOW! Some things will just have to wait.

Monday morning, Paige and I will leave for Sedona. We'll be gone until Wednesday. Not a long time away, but important quality time away. We'll be staying at a place on Oak Creek a little north of town. I'll post pics after we get back. We have no plans! Ok, actually we do. We are going to rest, and hang out together. I'm bring a couple of books to read (yes, one is my Bible!). We are also bringing the house plans to talk about landscaping. These are things we could do, or could work on (I'm also taking my computer to possibly do some writing), but we don't have to. There is no schedule, no agenda, no reservations (other than the room).

Downtime has become so important to me in the past few years. I think it's a combination of being older and wiser (realizing the importance), and just being older. Either way, the Biblical examples to withdraw before, during, or after times of stress, or extra effort are numerous.

I really needed this break more a couple of months ago, but Paige wasn't out of school yet. It's actually a better time since I just finished some writing and research that I have been working on for a while. My brain needs a rest. I've been looking at some foundational theological issues. I love doing studies like this, but they can wear me out too. Word studies and wrestling with Biblical concepts stretch me. That's what I love about them, but at the same time, studying doesn't come natural to me (God miraculously changed this for me when I began studying for ministry).

Paige had an incredibly tough year at school this year. SInce she has been out of school, she has focused on the house, and getting ready to move. Next Wednesday is her birthday, so I want to make sure that she get's some time to focus on rest, and decompressing.

We are both ready for some downtime, even though it doesn't seen like the right time. For us, together, there's no better time.