Today is Wednesday…the day that Jo and I have been looking forward to for about a month now.  We leave today for a short vacation/time away.   I am not complaining but except for a couple days in June (Tami reminded me that we did come see her), I have not been away from Spencer and Owen Valley Christian Fellowship all year.  I love the folks here but that is way toooooooo long.  We have been through a tough year with the enemy striking way too often and way too on target.  It has been physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining.   Except for the one Sunday in June I have preached every Sunday except maybe one other.  Along the way I had a bike wreck in July that is still having ramifications; a minor procedure done last week that most males over 50 are supposed to have 🙂 ;  taking leadership of and finally being able to hand over said leadership of the Jr/Sr High youth group; our fellowship’s 5th anniversary celebration and a very successful Day of Service (thanks to a core group of 7 helpers and group of over 70 volunteers); and a host of other events (both good and bad).

But it is time…time for Jo & me to just be Jo & me.  To my shame I have neglected her somewhat and since she works full-time for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (the people you love to hate), our time together seems to be eat & sleep.  Not good for a pastor’s marriage to be so hectic.  Sort of hard to preach about giving time and spending time together when the pastor feels like a hypocrite.  🙁

We plan to leave today to visit her sister in Sandusky, OH and on Friday sometime taking off for Columbus to visit Braden and his parents.   We plan to attend this church on Sunday and visit with a friend who attends there.  On Monday, we will head back home.  I am already bracing myself for the emotions of going back to work on Tuesday.  But I will be enjoying myself to the fullest while gone.  I am taking two books to read (besides my Bible):  Michael J. Fox’s book Adventures of an Incurable Optimist and an old one I haven’t read in years, This Present Darkness.  I figure since I/we have come through an intense time of spiritual warfare it wouldn’t hurt to bone up on fighting it.  (I know it is fiction but it can’t hurt).  I am going to try to visit with some friends along the way and oh yeah…I am taking my bike with me.  🙂

I will be making some random posts along the way.  I hope you will check in off and on to see if I did.  (If I counted hits I would tell you to check in every hour on the hour but since I have no clue about the hits…).  Above all, would you please pray for our safety in travel and a nice, relaxing time away.   Thanks.  I do not take the latter for granted.