Me too

I enjoyed a gathering of church folks last night. Our deacons had convened to talk about the ways that they care for the people of our church. It's a capable and compassionate group. They offer rides, provide meals, send get-well cards, and organize food drives. These are the kind of people that bless our church, and it is a delight to serve with them.

When the topic of this summer's sabbatical came up in conversation, there was a dead calm. A moment of silence. A musical fermata. Then somebody asked, "Can I ask where you are going?"

Oxygen entered the room as I began to speak. I didn't find it necessary to give a travelogue and brag about all the places where I will go. I spoke instead of the benefits of the time away: time with my family, time with God, time to unplug from an active schedule, time to be healthy, time to have my soul replenished. After a few beats of silence, someone said, "I would love to have time like that." Another echoed, "Me too."

All of us want time like this, but few of us take it. Every day is full of time. Why don't we take more of it to address matters of the soul?