Having a mini-vacation is quite renewing. We had planned on driving out to family after service on New Year's Eve. But we finally were blessed with snow - quite a bit. So we left New Year's morning and drove 40 mph for about half the trip. But it was worth it. I continued reading aloud "The Prisoner of Azkaban." It kept the whole car quiet the whole trip (about 3.5 hours). Unfortunately, we still had about 20 pages left upon arrival. That evening, I finished those pages for everyone and then we all watched the movie on their projector tv - quite cool. What fun.
That wasn't the most renewing part though. The whole thing aided our ability to return home refreshed. Sharing with a fellow pastor/homeschooling family the struggles, frustrations, disappointments, joys, strategies, ideas, etc. was quite nice. Watching movies (one of our favorite - The Wedding Singer), a taped concert of Heart (great!), part of the Blue Collar Comedy tour (git-r-done!), eating great food, the cousins playing together, enjoying good beer at the new "Wein and Stein" restaurant (amazingly cheap even!), staying up way too late, and sleeping way to long in the morning.
The drive home was uneventful - the roads had cleared. This time I read aloud the daily Bible readings David and I had got behind on, and we pulled into home, happy, refreshed. I was reminded of the times Jesus had "went away from the crowds to pray." We all need that, and thanks be to God, we are blessed with those opportunities.
Yesterday and today it is back to work - David will be burying a wonderful, faithful, woman today. Her fil was the pastor of this church back in the 20's. It was for his family (also with 5 kids) that they built our parsonage. She and her husband have been married 60+ years and they are a great example of a faithful marriage, and faithful believers. We are sad to have Helen away from us, but are so delighted that she has been called home to her eternal glory where she has been crowned with righteousness and sings forevermore in the presence of her Lord and Savior.
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