I love to take a vacation. I love my job as pastor, but there’s something about planning a long trip to the beach or a stay in the mountains that really gives me something to look forward to.  For me, it seems one week isn’t long enough, but two weeks seems too long. Regardless of the length of time, I want to have a good time on vacation.

I remember one vacation, Judy and I spent a few days on the beach in Florida and finished up with a road trip to the mountains of Tennessee.  We had a debate – would you rather live in a beach house on the ocean or a cabin in the mountains? It was a little bit of a toss-up, but we leaned to the cabin in the mountains.

As you may be preparing for a vacation, I thought it would be good to think about what can be done to help each of us have a great one.  Just a few thoughts about making this vacation your best vacation ever.

Visit a church

You might expect that from a pastor, but I’m serious. We’ve visited churches on vacation many times and the experience has always been memorable.  It’s a joy to discover how others worship God.  Be prepared because it won’t be like your home church. Sometimes it’s great. I remember visiting a church on Mackinac Island and talking with a family who vacationed there every year. After church they let us borrow their bikes for the day.  But another time we attended Beach Fellowship at Virginia Beach and I was definitely out of my worship element.  My suggestion is to find a church similar in background to your home church – for me it’s Baptist. But regardless, you’ll often find a great group of people who love Jesus and are your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Don’t take work on vacation

This has been one of my weaknesses.  With all the ‘free’ time on vacation, I can get a lot of stuff done.  But a vacation is to meant to vacate your normal stressors.  Leave it at the office. Leave all the pressures home. It will be there when you get back.  Just like a sprained ankle, if you don’t relieve the pressure you’ll never heal.  Every night God gives us a needed night’s sleep to refresh our bodies and minds to meet the demands of the next day. I think we need a week or more every year to renew ourselves to face the pressures back home.

Relax

There are two types of vacations. One is a pressure-filled vacation to see as much as possible in the time allotted. The other is to sit and do nothing.  The perfect vacation would be a little of both. But you must have a time during your vacation when you can relax. For me it takes a couple of days until I can really relax without thinking about what I’m supposed to be doing next.  I always try to have a book or two that I saved to read while on vacation. This it’s a book about Roy Ripley if Ripley’s Believe It or Not.  I plan on sitting around and get lost in the stories.

Have Fun

One of the mental dilemmas I have is to permit myself to have fun.  To do something that’s only purpose is to give me enjoyment seems so selfish. Shouldn’t our lives be lived for others? Shouldn’t we be trying to make God happy, not ourselves?  I know others may not have this problem, but I do.  I got a different perspective last year. We were able to take a few days and have a mini-vacation on Lake Michigan with our children and grandchildren.  I had so much fun just watching my grandchildren have fun. I’ll bet I road the Carousel at St. Joseph 3 or 4 times with Ellie.  I enjoy watching my children and grandchildren have fun.  Sometimes I do the silliest things just to see them smile and laugh.  Nothing is funnier than a child’s laughter. Don’t you think our Heavenly Father loves it when His children are having fun – as long as it is clean fun.  I think when we smile it causes Him to smile. So have a little fun and make your Father smile.

Reconnect with God and Family

Everything’s different on vacation. Your schedule, food, weather, scenery, living arrangement – all offer a little variety from your normal routine.  With all the unique situations you find yourself in, make sure stay connected with the people who are important in your life.  You’ll be able to enjoy new environments but don’t forget the people who make life worth living. Stay connected with God. Spend some of your time in prayer or reading your Bible. Read a new book about making your Christian life more effective. For me, any book by John Ortberg is great.  Many of us take our vacations with family and that can add some stress to the vacation. Don’t let your physical closeness disturb the compassion you have for loved ones.  Sometimes you just need to step back and appreciate what you have. Do things with your family that will create for them and you memories that will last a lifetime.  God has given us family to travel with us on the journey of life. Enjoy your companions.

Well, those are some of the things I have learned to make my vacations a little better.

Do you have any ideas of making this year’s vacation the best?  Let me know.

Are you taking a vacation? Share with me where you’re going and what you did.