Pseudo-Vacation

I wasn't really on vacation.  A few of you got on my case for working so much after I told you that I would be on vacation this week.  That meant a lot to me.  I need people to hold me accountable.  I am quite capable of being a workaholic.  The work I do is like a dream job.  Not that it doesn't have it's challenges, downside or bad days - it does.  Being the Senior Pastor of a large and new church has more than it's fair share of discouragement and hardships.  But for the most part I love doing what I get to do.  Really.  So, I'm grateful for friends who get on me for working when I should be playing, being a dad, being a husband, relaxing, etc.

But not this week.  My intent was to be off on Christmas day, of course, and Friday and Saturday.  Then I had planned to work on Sunday by doing reconnaissance at New Spring Community Church (I'll write about that experience soon) here in Greenville and working from that point all week.  I'm even working on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.  Why?  

Because next week I really am on vacation.  Like no email, no cell phone, no work of any kind at all vacation.  I might tweet or blog - but not about church.  I'll do those things as a friend telling my friends about my experiences while on vacation, much like you would send a postcard to a friend while you were on vacation.  

I've been planning next week's family vacation for almost an entire year.  We gave this trip to our kids as a Christmas gift and they are bouncing off the wall.  We've been eating beans and franks, turning the heat down and using our towels 3 times for months in order to pay for it.  And now it's almost here.

One of my friends FB Messaged me and said, 'you work more than a dairy farmer!'  Well, now you understand.  I don't want to wonder if I left the iron on, so to speak.  I want to be completely free to enjoy this trip, and that's why I've been working like a dog this week.   

Run interference for me next week, will you?  I assure you that I will be completely out of touch.  Lori Wheeler, Beth Brawley and Dennis Green (and my mother, of course) will be the only people who know how to reach me.  

I'll let you know later where I'm going...but it will be the trip of a lifetime for my family!