I have just come back from spending ten glorious days in San Diego!  Now for all San Diegans, they may wonder how their fair city is considered “glorious”…I mean when you live there 365 days a year you might not appreciate the touristy places anymore.  I suppose you can only visit the zoo or Sea World so many times before you’re just sick of them…or you can only spend so much time surfing and suntanning on the beaches.  (Are you kidding me?)

This mountain gal absolutely soaked up the ocean views, the sun, the seagulls, the palm trees and I would have gone every single day to Sea World if my family would have allowed me.  Sadly after two days spent there, they were saying they had enough of Shamu.  (Are they kidding me?)

The thing about holidays is not so much seeing new sites (which I love), or experiencing new things (which I also love), it is time spent with my family that I love the very most.  I tend to laugh more, be more relaxed.  I don’t nag my kids to finish homework or empty the dishwasher.  I don’t talk with my husband about work.  Every day is a new adventure.  “What should we do today?” is our daily mantra and we live each day from sun up to sun down taking in all the day has to offer.  There are new places to see, new foods to experience.

The scenery is so different on the ocean compared to the mountain views we have here at home.  We’re land-locked at home, so water, water and more water is something we just can’t get enough of when we holiday.  We went whale watching and experienced the sights and sounds of a humpback whale spouting past our boat.  That surpasses our gopher-sightings here on our acreage, don’t you think?  We ate Mexican food in Old Town and shopped (almost until we dropped) at the Las Americas Outlet shops.  Oh, and when we got back to The Dana on Mission Beach (where we stayed and called “home” for ten days) we lounged by the pool, swimming and tanning and planning what we would do the next day.  Glorious.

When I come back from a wonderful holiday I better understand why God was very purposeful when He created the Sabbath.  Holidays make me very aware why we are called to rest one day out of seven.  I’m not good about doing that here at home…it’s like I save up all the Sabbath days during the year and compile them into extended holidays.  I don’t rest enough on Sundays…there’s too many “could have, would have, should have” thoughts running through my mind those days.  I feel guilty resting when there’s stuff I could, would, should be doing instead of just resting at home.  But on holidays I rest.  I experience Sabbath rest.  Rest for the weary.

I need another holiday…soon!