As I relax in a hotel room in Hershey, PA (saved $125 using Hotwire.com, by the way), I am being reminded at just how important it is to get-away with my family.

The “everyday” of local church ministry too-often gets in the way of a pastor’s family-life. There are meetings, over-night events, weeks-away at camps and retreats, and numerous “after-hour” tasks that continue to get-in-the-way of what some “normal” families know as “Family Time”.

I am thankful to have this week with just my wife and two kids. We have some things planned, but have more things UNplanned. We’re just going to enjoy each other this week. We’re going to sleep-in (maybe, if God performs a miracle), we’re going to stay up late (watching Prison Break Season 1, no doubt), we’re going to eat whatever we can get our hands on, we’re going to visit places we’ve “been meaning to visit” but haven’t had/taken the time to yet.

I thank God for my wife Jessica and our two amazing children. Ella is sleeping in a pull-out sofa-bed right now and she thinks she’s the queen of the world for having such a treat! We are a blessed family.

God, please use this week to recharge us emotionally, spiritually, and physically, that we may continue to do Your work!