Devotion – Wednesday, September 2nd – Vacation
In forty-eight hours I will be getting in the packed car (and yes, I have grasped the concept of the fob, so that won’t be a problem anymore) and heading up North for a two week vacation. I always look forward to vacation, but rarely over the course of the last decade or so have I said to Ann, “I need this vacation.” Well, this is one of those years.
I know you understand the feelings because you are also going through the day in and day out uncertainty of everything. Covid-19 makes all plans tentative. The state of our politics is so bad that some are wondering if democracy will survive. The god of “individual rights” has been proclaimed loudly at the expense of what is best for the community. Churches can’t meet like they want to, visits aren’t possible, and there are few places we can go to get out of the house and see something other than the four walls (which have probably been recently painted as we now have time to do such chores) we’ve been staring at. 2020 has been a hard year so far, and I need to get away.
Let me tell you how my vacation will go. I’ll wake up early in the morning up at the cabin. I’ll get the coffee going and take the dogs for a walk. Once back, I’ll feed them, get my first cup of coffee, go into the living room, turn on the light, and do my Bible and devotional reading.
The sun will now be coming up, so I’ll grab my pole, go out to the lake and do some fishing. It is during this time that I do my praying. And yes, you people will pop into my mind and I’ll ask God to bless you.
When I get home, Ann will be up. I’ll lie to her about the number, and size of the fish I caught, and then go to the kitchen and get a bowl of Cocoa Krispies (yes that’s right – not my normal Cherrios or Raisin Bran. Ann’s gourmet breakfast food is Reece’s Puffs.). We’ll make a pot of flavored coffee, talk, play some game on the computer and read.
We’ll do some more late morning fishing and then we’ll have “Lupper” around 2 p.m. Lupper is a cross between lunch and supper. Then, we’ll sit on the dock to read, relax and also get into the water to play with the dogs. In the evening, we’ll go fishing, make a batch of popcorn, watch some TV, and end the night sitting on the porch with an ice cream cone (chocolate chip for me, and mint chocolate chip for Ann) listening to the loons and watching the moon’s light dancing off the water.
We’ll also see our kids one weekend, and my brother and sister-in-law the next weekend. So that will be a good.
By the end of the first week, I’ll start feeling relaxed. By the middle of the second week, I’ll be still enjoying the fishing and lounging around and no phone calls, but I’ll start missing my church family. I’ll realize once again what a huge part you all play in my life. I’ll miss not being with you and worshiping with you.
When I return and see you at church on Sunday, or around the neighborhood, I’ll say, “I really missed you.” Many of you will laugh and say “I bet.” Then I’ll say it again, “No, I really missed you.” This time you’ll believe me and that will make me happy, because Ann and I want you all to know, you are such a big part of our lives. Our faith lives are intimately tied to yours. It is as a body in community that we laugh and cry and celebrate and mourn. It is together that we get through difficult times and together we make celebrations all the better. We live life together, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Thank you my blessed family for everything.
~ Dan and Ann
P.S. With vacation coming, I want to remind you that for the next couple of weeks there won’t be any devotionals, or worship services on YouTube. We will have joint services on the two weeks I’m gone: September 6th at 9:00 a.m. at Argyle and September 13th at 9:00 a.m. at Yellowstone. Shannon Marion will be preaching and he always does a great job along with those leading the worship service.