Reminders . . .

We all need reminders. Why? Because we all have such good "forgeteries!" (And the older I get the more effective my "forgetery" is becoming!) Last week I was able to take a week of vacation. I had a great time. The first two days of the week, my wife Sharon and I, along with our youngest daughter, Kate (who is already a college graduate - where does the time go? - I will tackle that issue in another blog posting) traveled south to Maryland and West Virginia to visit the historical sites of Antietam Battlefield (Sharpsburg, MD) and Harpers Ferry, WV. On Wednesday, I spent the day with my son in Philadelphia. We hoofed it around Center City where I pointed out to him my old college campus (of which only the men's dormitory remains!) and other locales that Sharon and I used to frequent. We also traveled to the base of William Penn's statue which sits above City Hall (it's a really cool view of the city from that vantage point!). We topped off our day in Philadelphia by watching the IMAX film on mummies and going through the King Tut exhibit (both at the Franklin Institute - where I just happened to work for a few months just after I graduated from college). The rest of my week off was spent primarily around the house, getting some projects done - with a trip to Harrisburg to watch the Senators play thrown in on Saturday.

Now, I began this posting by talking about reminders - so here are some important things I was reminded of during my time off. To begin with, I was reminded of the importance of relationships. It is not that I had forgotten, but spending time with my family just reaffirmed to me that time spent with people is truly time well spent. Most likely, all of us can enrich our lives by turning off the TV (I spent very little time watching television last week) and playing a game with our kids, going for a walk with our spouse or just hanging out with a friend! I was also reminded of the need to "unplug." I alluded to this when I mentioned that I watched very little TV last week. When we took our trip south, I left my laptop at home (even though I knew the motel at which we were staying offered free Internet access). So there I was, far from home and my laptop sitting on my desk in my home office. Guess what? I survived! And it felt good! I think all of us can benefit by stepping away from the computer from time to time. And in place of surfing the net, let's spend time seeking our God. Finally, I was reminded of how blessed I am to be shepherding the flock of believers at Grace Church at Willow Valley. Sharon and I worshipped with another body here in Lancaster County yesterday. The music was good, the sermon, I thought was a great one, the people were friendly - but it was not home! If you are a part of the family here at Grace, thanks for making Grace such a wonderful place! So, bottom line, I am back in the office. Physically rested, spiritually refreshed - and reflecting on these three important reminders.

Thanks for listening,

pj