It is always nice to get away for a vacation. My wife and I enjoyed our time away with our children. Our vacation began with a Worship conference in Gaithersburg, Maryland. After 3 1/2 days of services and seminars, our vacation officially began.
While we "vacationed" from work and Warren...I was reminded of two things that we never vacation from:
1. Sickness - unfortunately, our youngest son, Jaxson, got an ear infection while we were away. He is improving now that we have been home, but he was definitely not himself for the final 3 or 4 days of our vacation. When we plan for vacations, we don't always consider the possibility of one or more members of the family being ill. While this did not ruin our vacation it certainly caused us to adjust.
2. Sin nature - ok...so we are reminded afresh and anew this vacation of indwelling sin! We deceive ourselves when we think that changing our location (as if there is some perfect setting) will change our nature or make us better people. Actually, vacations can bring out a family's vulnerability to sin more so than our normal routines. Since vacations are intended to be fun-filled days that make special memories - we often find ourselves uniquely tempted. The children have such a temptation to be selfish about what activities the family does. Or in the activities, the children can be tempted to complain about who gets to be first or who gets to have the bed as opposed to the pullout sofa, etc. And the parents can be tempted to be impatient with their selfish children or to get angry that these perfect memories that they had planned for their scrapbooks are getting ruined!!
Of course, all of this is not anything that we have experienced...just what I have observed about other families while we were vacationing!!
The fact that we can never vacation or have a time of cessation from sickness and sin is a reminder that there is a day coming when we will have the ULTIMATE VACATION! Because Christ has won the victory over sickness and sin and death, we know that there will be a day where sickness and sin will be no more...but we will not experience it in full until we are resting in our Heavenly Abode with our Risen Savior! So, vacations are nice...but they are once again a small glimpse of the rest and joy that we look forward to in Eternity with our Great Savior!
One last note, while we were away we spent much time in amish country. My wife and daughter both enjoy reading the amish novels and were looking forward to seeing some of the culture and lifestyle that they read about in these novels. As for me, I just enjoy the good food! Actually, I kinda find the amish culture and family life as a little odd...but then again, many see us christians as a little odd as well. Especially, those of us that are a part of the homeschool culture! With that in mind, I hope you enjoy this little number from one of my favorite christian comedians Tim Hawkins!
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