My family and I were planning on being at the beach until this past Saturday, but Debbie had other plans. Ocean Isle Beach, on the southernmost part of the North Carolina coast, was in the crosshairs of the downgraded hurricane and was going to get up to fifteen inches of rain. Concerned about the flooding, we packed up and came home on Tuesday, and spent the remainder of our week resting in “staycation” mode.
The time we were at the beach was wonderful, all of our children were there, and spending times like that together is priceless. We sat on the beach together, had some wonderful meals together, watched the Olympics together, put puzzles together (together?), and just enjoyed catching up. Being together with nothing else to do is what I love the most about beach vacations, and my family and I have had some great ones. We thought that would last through Saturday, but as I say, Debbie had other plans. It happens.
In addition to this time together with family, I love having more time for reading while on vacation. In the past, I must admit, I have spent time while on vacation reading books that are entertaining, but don’t have much substance to them. Think John Grisham, or Stephen King, or James Patterson. This year, as I assembled my “beach reading,” I wanted to do a little better. I love flying through a paperback “whodunit thriller” by John Sandford as much as the next guy, but those always leave me feeling a little unfulfilled and wanting something more.
I think, as a Christian, that much can be gained and learned about God and the life of faith in books that aren’t particularly Christian, and in the books I read while on vacation this proved to be true.
Over the next few weeks I’m going to talk about several of these, and maybe you would want to pick up one of these and read for yourself.
There is an old adage that tells us “out of sight is out of mind.” On the other hand, we also have been taught that conversely “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” During my time away, which consisted of two Sundays, I can definitely say that the latter is true. When I am away you are not “out of sight and out of mind,” but being away, while good, makes my heart grow fonder for our church family.