Good afternoon, friends. Mary Ann and I along with all of our families have returned home safely from our vacation together in N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. For a short time on our homepage, you can see pictures of our time there including the family’s celebration of my 80th birthday.
In my recent Journal article, I used the act of rebooting my computer as a metaphor for what I hoped this vacation would do for my spirit. I have to say that even though there were 18 of us including 8 grandkids in the same house, the time was refreshing! We all made wonderful use of the ocean and gave each other space to do whatever would renew our spirits.
God waits for you in the stillness like a friend waits for your call.
-Pastor Don Crist
There is clearly a connection between our physical and emotional selves and the spiritual part of us. We can’t keep ourselves healthy without tending to each of those with as much balance as we can manage. And, although I think there is nothing else like it, you don’t HAVE to walk along the ocean waves as the sun is coming up to be refreshed. You can find early morning or late evening stillness in your own back yard or in a park. You can find some quiet time fishing or listening to music or writing a meaningful letter to a friend! Your spirit needs the rest and time to heal from the tension and constant noise of a busy routine. It’s not a luxury but a necessity! God waits for you in the stillness like a friend waits for your call.
LET’S PRAY: God, you created us with a need for regular times of restoration and filling. May we look forward to those times as much as you do. Amen