And so it begins! I enter into my sabbatical with a variety of emotions; excitement, nervousness, faithfulness and gratitude, just to name a few. I am incredibly nervous about what I WON’T be doing! How do you break away from a typical nonstop routine? I am hopeful that I can learn to focus on my own needs (body, mind and spirit). I am looking forward to spending time with friends and family, volunteering at Ronald McDonald House and learning to relax. Like most of you, I have spent most of my life focusing on the well being of others both personally and professionally. I am prayerful that this next 30 days of focusing namely on my own self will bring back a spring to my step and clarity to my personal life. My goals for my sabbatical are listed below. I ask for your prayers and support as I enter this amazing journey.
- Renewing my commitment to my faith
- Continue to work on mending a few relationships, reconnecting with a few friends and family. Righting a few wrongs.
- Complete my 30 day devotional “A 30 day walk with God in the Psalms” by Nancy Leigh De Moss
- Quiet my mind at night and prayerfully sleep, sleep and sleep. A Good night’s sleep eludes me most nights so this will be a challenge!
- Rejuvenate and Refresh! Because I invest myself wholly and completely in our work, meeting with several families a day, creating the emotions and talking about death every day tends to get ME emotional. I am looking forward to hitting a reset button and having a bit of a break.
- Eat healthy, cook for myself, take longer walks, and visit the lakefront and local parks. There I can spend time in quiet reflection and break out my camera to capture God’s beauty.
- Read “Always Looking Up (Biography of Michael J Fox) – The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist”. I have always been a fan of MJF, but this book is truly inspiring.