Wendy and I took a much needed break this weekend. We took the kids down to Smith Lake Wendy’s mom and dad’s lake house. There house is situated in an area where there is no cell connectivity or fast/wireless internet. So we were technology free for 3 days. This was an ultimate blessing. There is something cosmic about not looking at a computer screen or twitter update for 3 days. The curse is, when I got home the inbox was full and the voice mail full.
I was able to “catch up” on some much needed sleep. Seriously, the first day I slept… all day. Sleep, bathroom, eat, sleep, bathroom, eat, sleep… I ended up reading more John Stott (The Cross of Christ) and starting the book of Joshua. It was refreshing to sit out by the lake and journal and think and pray and listen and journal and read. I reconnected with some very valuable insights about myself.
I thrive on quite/comtemplative time. This hustle and bustle, go-go-go, urgent, put out fires, yell, scream, produce… is not for me. I have said this in the past, however, I am very serious… some type of new, family, communal, monasticism sounds refreshing. I am still trying to figure out how I fit in the “The City”… listen to Tim Keller’s messages on “The City”. I am not urban… I need to get to core of who I am.
Sometimes having a pioneer spirit is a curse. Ministry is pretty much a pioneer effort right now. Trying new technologies… exploring new environments, pushing limits… Because of this I think I end up biting off more than I can chew… more than many can chew. I think being a good leader requires knowing how to play to your strengths, maximizing effectiveness, and letting others develop/help your weaknesses. The problem is, for me, it is easy to just plow through… with little thought of strength or effectiveness.
I have determined that I need to take a break about every 6 weeks. I mean go way and leave the technology at home. If the world falls apart while I am away… so be it. At times everyone needs to unplug from the matrix and breathe…
While were were at the lake we were able to help clean up some of the tornado damage from a couple of weeks ago. Hauling limbs, logs, trees… chain saw, 4 wheelers, and tractor… see the pics on flickr.
