First of all, there have been several new followers to the blog recently and I’d like to thank all of you who have chosen to follow GraceBought. I am so grateful to you for taking the time to follow the content I post here. It kind of blows my mind that people want to read what I write here, so thank you very much for your encouragement!
We are currently at 15 followers just in the few short months since I’ve started this thing up. I’ve been toying with a new idea for the blog and I want to make a proposition to you guys. If we can reach 30 followers, I want to create an addition and start a new segment, so to speak. Currently, I post Book Reviews on Monday evenings and “normal” posts on Thursday evenings. So, in addition to the book reviews and random tidbits of thoughts, I’m considering adding a writing segment to the blog. But, more on that possibility if we can reach the new following goal. So, if you’re interested, share the link to GraceBought with your friends and family! And, as always, leave me a comment to let me know what you think!
Now, for our random tidbit of thoughts for the week. 🙂
As some of you may have surmised, I recently went on vacation. That’s why the posting times of the blog may have been a little strange. (Honestly, I don’t know what time the posts published since I scheduled them for a specific time and then flew into a time zone six hours away. It said one time on my phone and another on the scheduled post, so I apologize for the inconsistency.) I spent about a week with two of my siblings in Hawaii.
You know, my grandparents were married in Hawaii; that’s also where they spent their honeymoon. I’ve heard stories my entire life about the islands, so it’s always been kind of like a larger than life place for me. I know everyone fantasizes about Hawaii (cause it’s gorgeous!), but for me…it has always had a special connotation. So much so that it even felt more surreal to me to go to Hawaii than when I studied abroad in Europe for a month.
This was my second trip to the lovely island of Oahu, and my first to Kauai. And, yes, they are just as beautiful as everyone says. If you ever have the opportunity to save and plan for a trip out there, I would highly recommend it! While on my vacation, my brother kept reminding me not to feel the pressure to go out and soak up every ounce of Hawaii that I could. There’s only so much you can cram into one day. And, while I understand his logic, I still kind of struggled with spending so much time indoors. (Random trivia, I am a total morning person. Neither my brother nor my sister are. You do the math.) Although I was totally up for more adventure and excursion than they were, I’m glad we all took the time to balance out our trip and spend it in ways we would each enjoy.
Looking back, I realize there’s something else to learn from my brother’s wisdom. Not only is it completely exhausting to jam pack adventure after adventure into a schedule, not only does it have the potential to detract from the quality of the time you spend doing something and being with someone, but it also adds some seriously unnecessary stress. You’re not supposed to stress on vacation! That’s what the vacation is for!
Now, I’m perfectly okay with being flexible. In fact, I think it’s what made our trip so wonderful. We changed the list of things we wanted to do around to fit how we felt each day, but I also know if I hadn’t been there, the other two may have spent the entire week indoors playing video games! I think it’s so neat the way God has wired us each differently, and furthermore, how those differences can really complement one another. I needed my brother and sister to counteract my go-go-go and they needed me to infuse a little decision and proactivity into their vacation.
Why do we even take vacations? At first, I almost felt like we were tugging against each other, each wanting to do something very different, but perhaps it was merely a difference in defining vacation. We take time off in order to unplug, relax, and revive ourselves. We need a break from reality, time away from the pressure and stress of everyday life. Working hard is crucial in this life. It’s good for us. But after a good, hard day’s work, there should always be time to play.
For my brother and sister, they defined vacation, at least in part, as sleeping in and not living on a schedule. For me, I defined it more by making memories in a beautiful place. Both are respites from work and school, but in different ways. And what was important to us all was that we were together, something we don’t get as often anymore. So, we managed to sleep in, keep a flexible schedule, and still enjoy the amazing scenery, all the while making memories that we’ll share with our children’s children.
Now, obviously not everyone can just up and fly to Hawaii. Though I believe we all have the potential to save and plan for crazy cool vacations if we manage our time and finances wisely, I understand that tropical trips aren’t always available now. But I still want to encourage you to think about the idea of a vacation, of resting. Without taking time to recharge your batteries and refocus, you’re going to have major burnout.
Maybe you can’t afford to fly somewhere for a week. Maybe you don’t want to. But you can still take time off, schedule time away from work and even away from other people. God worked hard for six days and then he rested. He tells us to find our rest in Him. He designed us to seek rest. Our physical bodies and our spirits need that time to recharge.
Think about how you spend your time. What and who demands it? When do you unplug from the world? When do you take time to assess where you are in life, where you want to be, and how to get there? Don’t let time just pass you by and swallow you up. Spend your time wisely. Be intentional about who and what gets your attention.
And remember that in addition to some much deserved play time and some much needed me time, you also need some God time. Not only are we built to balance work and play, to make time to recharge and rejuvenate properly, but we are also built to depend on Him and to rest in Him. Traditionally, we spend one day out of the week “off” and take time to praise God in a church. Many people spend daily time reading the Bible and/or a devotional. Whatever it is that you do, do it consistently and intentionally. Get to know your Heavenly Father and build a relationship with Him. He will give you the sweetest rest and the most wonderful peace you have ever known. Only God can truly give you this gift.
What about you? Where and what is your dream vacation? What are some awesome memories you’ve made on vacation already? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!
Love always,
Coralie