Vacation!!

My sons and I on Cape Mountain on the Oregon Coast

I just returned from a week of vacation. What a blessing it was! I traveled down the Oregon coast, had time with my family, saw good friends, enjoyed nature's beauty, and made some sketches.

There's something about getting away from home that is good for the soul. When I get about two hours down the highway, I begin to feel the weight of anxiety lift from my shoulders. The ordinary workday stress melts away, and I feel relaxed and refreshed.

Last Saturday, Katy and I went to Portland and had lunch with our two sons and Chad's girlfriend, Brittany. Then Guy and Chad and I camped on the Oregon coast, visiting friends and hiking to some of our favorite places. Later in the week, Guy and I camped near Long Beach, Washington, where I made a couple of sketches. What a fun week.

Interestingly, the NY Times recently had an article on clergy burnout:

"Members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at rates higher than most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen, while their life expectancy has fallen. Many would change jobs if they could....A growing number of health care experts and religious leaders have settled on one simple remedy that has long been a touchy subject with many clerics: taking more time off."

The article, found here, reports that many denominations are encouraging their clergy to take vacations as a way of preventing clergy burnout and ill health. I agree! My vacation was refreshing and I'm ready to jump back into parish life.
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