Getting Away - Family Vacations - A Must!

This past week our family visited Gatlinburg, TN on our annual summer vacation @ the cabin! It was a blast for our family to enjoy the beauty of God's creation, alongside my parents and sister and her husband as well. As we were there I received an email devotion that I subscribe to by Barbara and Dennis Rainey called "Moments With You, Daily Connections for Couples." 

It came at the perfect time and reminded me of the importance of what we were doing in Tennessee. I pray you read on and are challenged to take family vacations. Sacrifice those extras to allow your family those trips that will be life changing with memories that will be cherished forever by both you and your children. 

Below is the email devotion I spoke of.....

Making the Getaway

[Jesus] said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while."- Mark 6:31 NASB

Every family needs the anticipation, experiences and memories of a well-planned vacation. But in today's "time is money" way of thinking, the family vacation is fast becoming a thing of the past.

When asked recently by Gallup pollsters whether or not they had any summer vacation plans, 43 percent of adult respondents said no. And for many of those who do get away, their vacations are hardly conducive to getting relaxed and unplugged. Since 1995, the number of vacationers who bring their work along--by way of cell phones and laptop computers--has nearly doubled. All in all, about half of us do.

As couples and families, you need to buck this trend. Just as the romance of a marriage relationship is enhanced by cozy getaways, the romance of a relationship with your children is built on the memories you create together.

And one of the best places to do this is on vacation. Real vacation. One thing my parents did right was to instill in me a lot of memories: making ice cream at Grandma's house, fishing trips, relatives, parties. We didn't go all over the United States on fancy trips, but they did leave me with an enormous reservoir of memories that I still draw on today as a husband and father. We certainly did the same thing with our children as well.

Consider this goal for your family in the coming year: Our family will be found guilty of having too much fun rather than too little. But to get there, you'll need to carve some time out of your schedule--on purpose! Memories are not built by default. Memories are made by couples and parents who are intentional about being together.

Discuss
Reflect on your memories from childhood. What made the great trips truly great? Think about what you'd like to do on your next getaway as a couple or as a family.

Pray
Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and to help you resist the constant, relentless tug of work so that you can truly pull away with your family.