Down on the Farm

Vacation time is here! Being with my folks has been a blast; the kids have loved it and Gretchen and I welcome the time away. Not that there’s anything wrong with Lexington, but every now and again ya’ just gotta get away!

It’s been cool to put up sheet rock with my dad, swim with the family, watch the kids drive through the fields in Mom & Dad’s mule–Kawasaki mule, that is! While we plan on going to the beach today, this part of Florida (NW/panhandle) is as much farm country as it is beachfront property.  Having a place to get away like this is a blessing and, to a degree, a luxury. Reasonably-priced land is nearly impossible to find anywhwere, much less the Bluegrass (just ask our church trustees and finance team; they have done great work but it has been tough). Mom & Dad bought their land years ago and have been developing it ever since. Now they live here and can enjoy the ponds, trees, barn, and the solitude of living a few acres off the main road.

Drinking a morning cup of coffee without seeing everyone speeding by on their morning commute is nice. The hustle seems to have less bustle in this environment. To be sure, people in the panhandle still work hard and are hip-deep in the “daily grind” of life; yet, being here seems like a true get-away.

The cool thing about “getting away” spiritually is that I (or you) can do that whether we have a farm in the country or an apartment in dowtown Chicago. Scripture teaches that we can, and should, spend time with God, set apart from everything else that tries to catch our attention. Jesus spent time over and over again alone with His heavenly Father. Christ was constantly followed by incredible crowds (today, His disciples would probably file for a restraining order to keep the paparazi away); but He knew He needed to find a place (a hillside, a boat on the sea, a garden outside of town) to be alone; to get away; to clear His mind and focus on the Father in Heaven.

FInd that place in your world–it might be your breakfast table early in the morning or your bedroom late at night; or even your office during a mid-day break. Spend time getting away from the hustle & bustle, busyiness and barrage of expectations, demands, and obligations that may seem to flood your life. Spend time letting God have your undivided attention; let Him grant you renewed focus and strength. And throw in a banana smoothie just for good measure–health and relaxation all in one glass-full!