A Week of Holidays (…So I’m on Vacation!)

Greetings Everyday Faith and Fitness Family!

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed or not, but we are amidst a seriously heavy week of holidays here! The calendar I use in my office is from my alma mater, Knox College, and this is what it looked like recently:

Saturday – Valentine’s Day

Sunday – Founder’s Day (the day the college was founded back in 1837)

Monday – Presidents’ Day

Tuesday – Mardi Gras

Wednesday – Ash Wednesday

Thursday – Chinese New Year

Friday – Founder’s Day Celebration

 

Sure, the two Founder’s Day events are not universal, but it made for a perfectly full week of events! How crazy is that?!

 

Since this is a week of holidays, I decided to go on vacation! (Well, that wasn’t really the reason, but hopefully by the time you read this, I’ll be floating along safely somewhere in the Caribbean Sea.)

 

When I mentioned in conversation that I was going to the British Virgin Islands, everyone’s immediate response was “Ooooohhh!” And then I continued with…

On a small sailboat.

For six days.

Where we have to provision our food.

With my inlaws.

And I get carsick….

And quickly the reaction turned to “Ohhhhhhh….”

 

No really, I’m excited! (And I love my inlaws!) I’ve got a nice supply of seasick patches and my Shakeology packets, so hopefully I won’t be throwing up the whole time!

 

As I’ve said before rest and recreation are both important parts of health and wellness. When we get too sucked into the daily grind, we miss some the best parts of life God intended for us. I’m hoping to sit at the bow (or is it stern? … this land-lover needs to brush up on her sailing lingo!) and just enjoy the wind and the waves and some quality quiet time with God. A much needed breath of fresh air. Time to dream. Time reflect.

 

I share this with you not to brag or spark jealousy of course – (This is a special trip that my inlaws have dreamed about for quite some time) – but, I share this simply to encourage you to find a little rest and recreation wherever you are this week as well.

 

Whether you have the day off Monday for one of the few federal holidays, are celebrating Tuesday New Orleans-style, or ringing in another New Year of the Green Sheep (Goat?) on Thursday, may we, above all, recognize that Wednesday puts us 40 days away from the most significant moment in history. Well, more like 43 I guess… +3 for the Resurrection.

 

I know there are differing opinions on the season of Lent… but, to me, it seems like a perfect time to refocus our attention on the reason for the world. As Matthew West so aptly says: “The reason for the world is to make us long for home.”

 

And it’s also the perfect opportunity to refresh our perspective on the time we do have here…to see the importance of taking care of the body He’s given us for these short spins around the sun.

 

How can we do that? By combining fitness + nutrition + accountability + Jesus! I’m not ready to divulge too many details at this point yet, but I’m working on an extra special Challenge Group for the final 21 days leading up to Easter – and it includes some extra exciting words of encouragement from one of my favorite authors, Lysa TerKeurst!

 

If you’re interested in getting the full details when I return next week, please send me a message or simply comment below. I think this group is going to be awesome!

 

No matter where you are – whether you’re celebrating this week of holidays in the single-digit weather of the Midwest (Love you, boys!) or island hopping in the Caribbean (Thank you, Mike and Jane!) – I hope you remember to find time for a little rest and relaxation amid the craziness of life. And, above all, I hope you know that you are loved.

 

Happy Week of Holidays!