July is the month that scurries by. Distracted by the surprising warmth of June, we hardly notice how quickly 31 days have passed until August is all, “Hey you! Time to stop doing fun outdoor stuff! Go sit inside until May.”
So…have you taken a vacation yet, if you normally do in the summer? A few days or a few weeks at a different pace and in another place? You need one. The pandemic lingers heavy over you, promising to rearrange the months ahead. Now is the time, if you have not done so already, to go on a vacation.
It is possible. Even if it means getting in your car with your lunch and driving to a city park 200 miles away and then turning around again, that counts. Vacations are important. They disrupt the rhythm enough to make you appreciate the rhythm.
My family and I pulled our camper to Lake Metigoshe State Park and hung out for a few days with friends and family. It is a beautiful place. We wore masks the few times we were close to people, washed our hands a lot, ate mostly our own food cooked in the camper, walked in the woods, and most importantly we left our phones off much of the time.
Like you, our fall is going to be something we have never seen before. We are bracing ourselves for the unknown way our kids will go to school and we will go to work. The unknown is exhausting, so go on a mini-vacation, a full-vacation, or a long lunch where the scenery is different!
Take a deep breath while you are there. Breathe in the fresh promise of life, and trust that God will give you enough of whatever you need when you get back.
Lisa Lewton 