Staying up late didn't allow me to sleep quickly when I finally arrived at the mattress. As I lie there with my arms folded behind my head, staring at the ceiling, questions began to stir in my mind as they often do.

I wonder what everyone's up to back home?

How can I become a better husband?

What should I work on when I get home?

How can I aid in lives being changed...more lives, faster?

Why do You love me like You do?

Christ and the Kingdom of God are so very different than other mainstays in my life...in your life. As I take a break, a rest, a sabbath from certain things, it's my natural response to want them more. I take a rest from work, and soon I am restored and ready to jump back in. I take a break from people and community at large only to find a renewed desire for them. These are only for a season however, for if I take a long enough break...my desire for a reconnection will soon fade and my wanting will become distant and blurred. Eventually, the gap in my memory is filled in with new thoughts, desires, and relationships. What once was so familiar can become a barely-there impression.

It is not that way with Christ for me. I longed for God before I even knew who He was and any time I choose to run from Him I am pursued as by a Holy Bounty Hunter. The book of Colossians speaks of the mystery that is Christ. The mystery to me is that of all the things I've been into, of all the hobbies, and the fads and ideas I've had...this Christ has not begin to fade. He is not a reminiscence, rather, an existence in my heart and soul.

It's sunny and 75 today. Yes!

Me: "Hey Allison, what are your plans for today?"
Allison: "I don't know...swimming,...sitting in the sun...*shrugs shoulders*"

Me: "Hey Tracy, what are your plans for today?"
Tracy: "Um...going to the beach and then to the pool and then to the beach and then to the pool. Pizza for dinner."

Me: "Hey Allayna, what are your plans for the day?"
Allayna: "I don't know...go to the beach probably...like...I don't know."

Me: "Hey Ted, what are your plans for the day?"
Ted: "I was going to go to the beach with Tracy...why, do you have something in mind?"

Me: "Hey Andrea, what are your plans for the day?"
Andrea: "I don't have any...yet."

Me: "Hey Chris, what are your plans for the day? Chris? Chris are you there?"
Chris: *sleeping*

Me: "Hey Ava, what are your plans for the day?"
Ava: "Candy?"

Me: "Hey Corina, what are your plans for the day?"
Corina: *perplexed* "What? I don't know...whatever everyone else's plans are..."

Me: "Hey Harrison, what are your plans for the day?"
Harrison: *growls at me*

Me: "Hey Ralph, what are your plans for the day?"
Ralph: "I'm going to ride the bike."

Me: "Hey Cheryl, what are your plans today?"
Cheryl: "I'm going to the thrift store...it's open from 10-3...now I have to find someone to go with me." *Ryan runs away screaming*

Myself? I have no plans either. You can see this day is shaping up quite nicely. Have fun...I know we are.

During the previous two nights of our vacation we set our fun aside to throw down some serious dominoes. Mexican Train Dominoes is an Olympic sport...and if it's not, well, that's just an upsetting injustice. A 2-day world championship tournament took place at the dining room table. The objective is to be left with the lowest score. Add the scores from day 1 and day 2 together to see who has the lowest overall score.

I'll let the evidence speak for itself:

I had to get something else to read. Simply Christian is a good book...it's just one of those books that makes me fall asleep every time I'm reading it. A realization I'm having is that I need to read "new to me" ideas. It's very difficult for me to ingest more of the same thing over and over. Certain books are full of filler content that really doesn't add to the main idea. This makes me lose interest quickly.

So I borrowed a vewy, vewy nice car from someone and I set off to fill my reading void. We're staying in a somewhat secluded area without the luxuries of McStores on every corner. That's a good thing, but it makes little things like cooking and finding books a bit more difficult. I knew of a small town with a strip of shops in it and I purposely headed in another direction to see what I could find. An hour and a half later, hands empty, I headed for the strip I knew of.

When I pulled up to the eccentric little book store I was greeted by two cats at the door. No I wasn't. I lied. It was one cat and the other animal that I thought was a cat turned out to be a possum upon further inspection. Anyone watching me would have chuckled a bit at my reaction which sounded not unlike a six year old girl at a haunted house. Thankfully there were no possums inside the bookstore where I picked up a copy of In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. I'll let you know how

*leaves blog post mid-sentence to go read new book*

Do you ever feel like you aren't the best at being who you are? And this time I'm not talking about being phony. I'm talking about feeling like an imposter in my own skin.

People would call me an extrovert...and I would too, however, when given the opportunity I withdraw and I'm fine to be by myself. This would only be for short stints of course. I always begin to miss my family and I crave community after while. But I don't need it constantly. I can run away from everyone and stay gone for a while...usually what brings me back quickly is the ideas that people are wondering where I am. This feels prideful and yet it usually turns out to be true when I'm thinking it.

I kind of feel like a lone ranger even when I'm in a crowd of people. Like I fit in...but I don't. A sabbath from the good comes to mind. A break from the healthy, not for unhealthy things, but other healthy things seems needed. Solitude and a chance to clear my head are a must for me and I realize it too little and often too late. Hmm.

Sunny Florida for a week. We'll be staying in St. George Island (where ever that is) for seven lovely days of vacation. Check out our pad: