IT"S PURE LAZINESS!

Psalm 55 (New International Version, ©2011)

 ⁴ My heart is in anguish within me;
   the terrors of death have fallen on me.
⁵ Fear and trembling have beset me;
   horror has overwhelmed me.
⁶ I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
   I would fly away and be at rest. ⁷ I would flee far away
   and stay in the desert;^[c] 
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,
   far from the tempest and storm.”

God is just about to give me the wings of a dove and Fly away to be at rest! Spring Break begins in 2 days and I just can't wait. We are heading south to a place of rest. God has blessed us with the means to do this on an annual basis. We just love spending the time with the grandkids and the family. (Although all of us don't get to go this year.)  Our Day consists of getting up and having breakfast then heading straight to the beach. We then spend the rest of the morning laying around and trying to decide when to eat lunch and what to have. We then play some more or lie around on the beach. Then we talk about what we are doing for supper. Then we lay around some more, eat supper, go to bed, and start it all over the next day. IT'S PURE LAZINESS and I can't wait. 

I just love to spend time recharging the batteries and doing it with my great family. Sometimes life is so stormy and the tempest is overwhelming. Our shelter should be God. But, in our fast paced society where we rush from one event to another, we often forget to take the time to find God and enjoy his peace. Sitting along the peaceful shore of the Gulf of Mexico, I have often found the peace of God far away from the hustle and bustle of Garrett and GHS. 

Dear Lord, Thank you for providing the opportunity to get away. I know that so many people don't get the chance to do this. I know it is only by your grace. Help us to relax, enjoy each other, and enjoy your presence while we are away. I praise you for your blessings. I praise you for the gifts you provide. I praise you for the gift of your son. Amen!

Calgon Take me Away!

Luke 1:23-25 (New International Version, ©2010)

 ²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”


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Have you ever just wanted to hide away for a few months? The Bible never says why Elizabeth went in to seclusion for five months. It's possible she was embarrassed about being so old and being pregnant. It's possible she wanted to make sure she was careful because she didn't want to lose the baby. She may have done so to contemplate the events that led up to this moment and the future for her baby. Or she just may have wanted to "Get Away from it all" Regardless  of the why, She had the desire to isolate herself.  She acknowledged that this was a gift from God and that it was a blessing she had not expected.

SO, I ask again, have you ever just wanted to isolate yourself for awhile?  I certainly have. There are times when I just need to get away by myself. There are times when I just don't want to talk with anyone and I don't want to have to explain why? In our busy, busy society, we hardly ever hear of people who get away for 5 months. Sometimes it's hard to get away for 5 minutes let alone 5 months.
I can tell you I have had many times I just wanted to get away from things. I can also tell you that I have never been able to do that for any real amount of time. My "away times" consist of an occasional Saturday or Sunday. I might be able to steal some time during Holidays or school vacations. Every year for the past 8 years I have attended the National Athletic Directors Conference. Because of the budget crunch I am unable to attend this year. I have always used this 3 or 4 day break to really get away. i am always able to focus on planning, major projects and a real attitude adjustment. It has always been such a valuable time for me. I have attended conference sessions by myself and usually spend most meals by myself. I do attend the annual awards banquet and the dinner. I usually find a table with AD's from other states. It is great to get to know people you probably won't ever see again. Even though there are hundreds of attendees, I really feel like I have gotten away. Since, I am not going this year, I will have to find a different way to  "get away".

I really believe getting away is therapeutic. All of us need to find a time we can get away and rejuvenate. This should be time without the spouse, work pressures, or a busy schedule. We need time to refocus and renew our commitment to God. We need time to think about where we are in life and where we are heading. We just can't do that type of thinking with others around. It is so hard to get rid of all the distractions. We need to try!

Please Lord, Provide us with time to get away. Help us to set aside our busy schedules during this time of the year just for ourselves. We need to find a place to seclude ourselves. We need time to not feel the pressures of life. Please Lord, hear our request and help us to find that time. Amen!