Vacation reflections

I've been home for exactly 2 weeks from my fabulous (okay, maybe not) first ever real vacation as an adult.  It maybe wasn't fabulous, but it was glorious.


I drove 4810 km in 13 days. By. My. Self.
I was in 2 provinces.
I visited 5 states (4 of which I'd not visited before).
I camped for 8 nights in a row (unless you count those 4 hours in a hotel room as a night...)
I was by myself for 8 days.
I read 3 books.
I listened to a lot of music.
I fell in love with a place I'd never been to before.
I learned that 6 hours of driving in one day is enough.


This trip was a gift in so many ways.  To spend that much time alone was so good for me.  Silence is a blessing.  I could think.  Pray.  Reflect on this crazy year.  Begin to dream about this coming year.  And just listen to God.


I saw God here:

and here:

and here

and a whole lot of other places too, but I can only post so many pictures...  But God was so present!  His creation is spectacular and amazing and mind-boggling.  


I learned things about myself, about travelling, and about slowing down.  I came back to work, hit the ground running, and am already longing for another vacation.  I've forgotten some of the things I've learned, and now I'm trying to remind myself of them as I frantically try to prepare for fall, plan and schedule events and care for people.


I wish I could have it back.  I wish I could go on vacation again, do nothing all day but sit and read, cook good food and go for a walk.  But what I know I need to do is adjust my everyday life to be more like the pace of my vacation.  I need to slow down a little.  I need to sit still for a while every day.  I need to pay more attention to what I'm eating.  And then maybe I wouldn't need a vacation so badly...

Tough Stuff

Today has been a hard day.  I came to my office at church expecting to 'get lots done' today.  In my administrative mind that means 'get organized', 'make lists', 'check things off the list', etc.  


Very shortly after arriving today, I found out that one of the students I've been caring for all year lost her father yesterday.  It's tragic, sad and unfathomable.  All of a sudden my idea of 'get lots done' changed to look like caring for this girl who is in shock and is grieving.  And that's okay.  And so much more important.  And so while I 'got nothing done' today, I did exactly what I needed to today.