Get Away!

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." Ps. 23:2 

Sometimes we just need to get away!

You know what I'm talking about, right? The demands of life can take a toll on a person and momentarily drain them bone dry. You know, the moment you just let out a big sigh and say something like, "I need a trip to the mountains!" That's my "go-to" place of choice. Maybe for you it's the beach or a resort or maybe just to grandma's for a good old "taking-care-of". Regardless, our desire to be refreshed is like a life-giving supply of oxygen at that moment in time.

I'm right there. Right now! As I sit down and write at 5:30 am. Why am I writing at this time of the morning? Because sleep eludes me. I woke up for a moment and made the mistake of letting my mind start rambling about all there is to do. You see, my husband and I are in the middle of a bathroom remodel project that wasn't on our agenda. It was a have-to thing. Mold and rotten floor made it a first-priority thing.

Needless to say, gutting a bathroom has been stressful. Put us on the First Time DIY'ers program!!! Thank goodness for Google, YouTube and people with experience! There have been moments when we laughed to keep from crying and moments when I just wanted to sit down in the middle of it all and sob.

Now, add to that endless phone calls from people in need. Yes, we are all needy at times. I understand that and don't have a problem trying to be there to help someone who needs assistance. However, sometimes the weight of "being there" is more than we can carry. Then, add just plain-ole-life to that combination. You know, the stuff moms and wives must do - cooking, cleaning, laundry, caring for her family, etc.

Life has it's overwhelming moments - and we need to get away to refresh ourselves. Jesus had to get away from it all at times too!

In Mark 16:30-31, Jesus told the disciples to "Come...apart into a desert place, and rest a while..." - in other words, take a break. Luke 5 tells us that Jesus would often slip away from the crowd to be alone and pray. The Bible is full of such examples.

There is a time and season for everything. Sometimes life gets overwhelming and we need to gather ourselves up and take time to refresh our souls and regroup. While that doesn't necessarily mean we need to schedule a trip to a beach resort or a quaint cabin in the mountains, sometimes it does our souls good. We need time to regroup. Even a computer has a "refresh" button! We are humans and there are times in life when we become depleted and the only way we can fill back up is to get away from it all for a moment.

Life. Distractions. Struggles. The fight. It's all real. And, God intends for us to take care of our temple during every season. Whether that means retreating to our bedroom for a few moments of solitude during a rambunctious, kid-filled day, or scheduling a retreat to our favorite vacation spot, or just taking a few moments of our day to get away and pray...it's something we MUST do. It sounds selfish, I know. Even a bit hard-core. However, if we don't take time to refresh and fill back up, we have nothing to offer those around us. I don't know about you, but when I reach my limits, I become cranky and can be hard to deal with. I know, we all have to practice self-control, but some days I'm just plain on "E."

There's only one thing to do when you're on empty. Go to the filling station. Simple. 

If you find yourself in this empty situation, take a moment to get away. Spend a few moments asking God what is the appropriate "get-away" you're needing in life right now. Maybe it's a short vacation, maybe it's just a bit more time in communication with Him, or maybe you need a week of quiet relaxation. It's impossible to give and give of ourselves without refilling. We are of little use to God or anyone else for that matter if we're exhausted and spent. We cannot be effective if we've nothing to give. Think about it. Sometimes strength will only come and be renewed after a time of rest.

So, let's not be too hard on ourselves. Let's not expect the impossible from ourselves either. After all, only God can do the impossible! There are indeed times when we need refreshing. I'm not condoning a "get-away" every other week or massive amounts of money spent on entertainment. I'm talking about legitimate moments when it's necessary to pull away from life and take necessary and intentional moments to be replenished.

Now, get away. Then get back in here - live and give some more. Blessings~