Refreshment

I'm back! There is nothing like taking a vacation that is free from cell phones and e-mails. My wife and I just spent almost two weeks in Murrells Inlet, SC hanging out at the beach and with family. No worries, no problems, no meetings, and no calendared events; man was it great. The greatest thing about it was the refreshment it brings to your spirit and mind. I was able to process some things I've been thinking about when I got back home rather quickly, and I did this without giving those things a second thought while I was away.

I'm writing this blog today (after a three week hiatus from writing an entry) to communicate the value of just getting away. Beth and I didn't spend a lot of money, we just enjoyed walking over a lot of sand, talking, laughing, playing in the water, exercising, and just taking in the beauty of God's creation. This time of refreshment brought back to me that saying that has been shared many times over; "if you don't come apart, you will come apart (in pieces)." The neatest thing that happened was how quickly I was able to process some things that I had been dealing with for months when I returned. As I mentioned, I didn't think about those things while I was away, but when I returned with renewed energy those things were settled in my mind very quickly. I'm sure this is what the Lord was trying to model to us when He removed Himself from the crowd to spend time being renewed by the Father. So, I would encourage you if you haven't invested some time to get away -- do it. Don't use the excuse that you can't afford to; you cannot afford "not" to get away. If you need some refreshment; plan it, do it, enjoy it, and then allow that renewal time to quickly help you deal with the everyday affairs and challenges of life. For me, life for 10 days was "a beach". It was the beach that calmed my thoughts, attitude, and gave me a refreshed perspective on life. So, if you need to adjust your attitude, thoughts and gain a better perspective on life; try the beach (or the mountains) or whatever works for you.